Brian Burke

And the way you know that is because if they're doing each in the optimum mix, the payoffs would equalize. There would be what people commonly refer to in game theory as the Nash equilibrium. As long as you have an intelligent opponent, you can assume that that equilibrium is going to be the optimum mix. And they were far out of whack. From that moment on, we knew that you need to pass more.

And the way you know that is because if they're doing each in the optimum mix, the payoffs would equalize. There would be what people commonly refer to in game theory as the Nash equilibrium. As long as you have an intelligent opponent, you can assume that that equilibrium is going to be the optimum mix. And they were far out of whack. From that moment on, we knew that you need to pass more.

What year was this? 2008 is when I first did this, but it took years to permeate the football world. It was a slow process.

What year was this? 2008 is when I first did this, but it took years to permeate the football world. It was a slow process.

What year was this? 2008 is when I first did this, but it took years to permeate the football world. It was a slow process.

I think Franco Harris is a good starting point for the modern era. That's where people of our age grew up learning our football, and same with coaches. This is the 1970s. In those days, passing was very, very difficult. So running was a much better strategy. And then in 1978, the league massively rewrote the rules that had to do with passing, not just illegal contact.

I think Franco Harris is a good starting point for the modern era. That's where people of our age grew up learning our football, and same with coaches. This is the 1970s. In those days, passing was very, very difficult. So running was a much better strategy. And then in 1978, the league massively rewrote the rules that had to do with passing, not just illegal contact.

I think Franco Harris is a good starting point for the modern era. That's where people of our age grew up learning our football, and same with coaches. This is the 1970s. In those days, passing was very, very difficult. So running was a much better strategy. And then in 1978, the league massively rewrote the rules that had to do with passing, not just illegal contact.

The way linemen could pass block radically changed. And the league is still catching up to this day in terms of exploiting those rule changes. Over time, different systems started to exploit the new rules. Then 2004, they changed the rules again. So over time, the potency of the running game compared to the passing game has decreased steadily.

The way linemen could pass block radically changed. And the league is still catching up to this day in terms of exploiting those rule changes. Over time, different systems started to exploit the new rules. Then 2004, they changed the rules again. So over time, the potency of the running game compared to the passing game has decreased steadily.

The way linemen could pass block radically changed. And the league is still catching up to this day in terms of exploiting those rule changes. Over time, different systems started to exploit the new rules. Then 2004, they changed the rules again. So over time, the potency of the running game compared to the passing game has decreased steadily.

Well, he's just not going to be as valuable. This star running back is not going to carry you to a Super Bowl. It hasn't happened in generations.

Well, he's just not going to be as valuable. This star running back is not going to carry you to a Super Bowl. It hasn't happened in generations.

Well, he's just not going to be as valuable. This star running back is not going to carry you to a Super Bowl. It hasn't happened in generations.

I think that's one of the core developments that's affected the running back position is that teams have realized that you don't necessarily need a great running back. What you need is a great running game.

I think that's one of the core developments that's affected the running back position is that teams have realized that you don't necessarily need a great running back. What you need is a great running game.

I think that's one of the core developments that's affected the running back position is that teams have realized that you don't necessarily need a great running back. What you need is a great running game.

Yeah, there's going to be eight or nine blocks that are all essential. You need these kind of consecutive miracles for run play to really work. Coaches will draw them up and it looks perfect on the whiteboard. But then in the chaos of the game, so many things have to go right for it to work. But when it does, it's beautiful.

Yeah, there's going to be eight or nine blocks that are all essential. You need these kind of consecutive miracles for run play to really work. Coaches will draw them up and it looks perfect on the whiteboard. But then in the chaos of the game, so many things have to go right for it to work. But when it does, it's beautiful.

Yeah, there's going to be eight or nine blocks that are all essential. You need these kind of consecutive miracles for run play to really work. Coaches will draw them up and it looks perfect on the whiteboard. But then in the chaos of the game, so many things have to go right for it to work. But when it does, it's beautiful.